Institutional dimensions of climate change adaptation: insights from the Philippines

Understanding the institutional dimensions of climate change adaptation (CCA) is critical to the adaptation process. The institutional changes that follow the introduction of a CCA measure affect certain areas of governance, including social, political, policy, and other domains that are already exposed to prevailing institutions. Thus, understanding CCA necessitates analysis of the interplays between and among institutions that exist within a hierarchical structure, as well as the examination of how institutions across different scales define the challenges in CCA implementation. This article contributes to this discussion by investigating the challenges in mainstreaming CCA into local land use planning in Albay, Philippines. It applies a four-stage mixed methodology and uses a modified Institutional Analysis and Development framework as its primary analytical guide. Its findings imply that: (1) mainstreaming CCA is a multi-scale, multi-setting endeavour; (2) mainstreaming CCA operationalization involves networks of interacting institutions and institutional arrangements; and (3) addressing the challenges in mainstreaming needs extensive institutional transformations that reach across the various institutional settings within these networks. POLICY RELEVANCE This article advocates that, in designing strategies to address the challenges in mainstreaming CCA, analysts, planners, and policy makers must understand that the challenges exist within a network of institutional settings, and that these challenges encompass a chain of institutional interactions or interplays within this network. Accordingly, overcoming these challenges necessitates broad institutional reforms that go beyond the institutional setting where CCA is to be mainstreamed. Moreover, this article suggests that CCA policy making and analysis must focus on the vertical, horizontal, and network linkages and relationships created by institutional arrangements, as well as on the interplays facilitated by these arrangements. More importantly, there is a need to determine whether the institutional interplays between and among existing and planned institutions are complementary, counterproductive, conflicting, overlapping, neutral, or coexisting. Such knowledge will assist policy makers and analysts to understand the existing and potential barriers to, as well as identify opportunities for, adaptation. Consequently, the solutions to address the barriers, and the strategies that can take advantage of the opportunities, can be formulated effectively

The interconnected nature of the challenges in mainstreaming climate change adaptation: evidence from local land use planning

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation (CCA) links adaptation and sustainable development goals by integrating climate change information, concerns, and considerations into existing development planning, policy- and decision-making processes. It is gaining popularity in developing countries, but its operationalization has been slow because of the challenges that hinder its on-ground application. To understand the nature of these challenges, this paper developed a four-stage mixed methodology that examined mainstreaming of CCA into local land use planning in Albay, Philippines. The methodology includes a modified Institutional Analysis and Development framework for the qualitative analysis, and 20 mainstreaming indicators for the quantitative assessment. The data used in the analysis were collected from a survey and the interviews conducted among the key players in local land use planning in Albay. The correlation analysis showed that the challenges related to knowledge and awareness, local government prioritization, institutional incentives, availability of funds, access to funds, and stability of funds had the highest frequency of interconnections with the other challenges. Also, a strong tripartite relationship among local leadership, local government prioritization, and local government’s commitment to CCA was observed. The paper suggests that mainstreaming challenges are interconnected at varying degrees. It presents analytical tools and quantifiable measures that can be used to develop a reliable basis for the qualitative assessments of adaptation needs and effectiveness. These sets of information can help analyst and practitioners make informed decisions regarding the operationalization of mainstreaming CCA

Challenges in mainstreaming climate change adaptation into local land use planning: evidence from Albay, Philippines

The mainstreaming of climate change adaptation (CCA) is increasingly popular because it integrates both adaptation and sustainable development goals. Although research interest in mainstreaming CCA is growing, there is limited information on its practical application at the local level, particularly in relation to the barriers to the effective operationalization of the approach. Consequently, this paper examines the challenges in mainstreaming CCA into local land use plans in Albay, Philippines. Using a modified version of Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development framework, the conditions surrounding the challenges were identified and assessed. These challenges are characterized as the factors that depict the information, institutional, and resource capacities of systems; hence, they are the factors that affect the effective operationalization of mainstreaming CCA. These challenges were then converted into quantitative "mainstreaming indicators." Data were collected from a survey conducted among the key players in local land use planning and experts in mainstreaming CCA. A scorecard approach was applied to quantify the respondents’ answers. The results highlighted the "institutional issues" indicator as the primary barrier in operationalizing the approach, while "availability" and “access to information” were assessed as second-level barriers. Conversely, the "leadership" indicator was evaluated as an opportunity for local mainstreaming due to the existence of a climate change champion in Albay. This paper suggests that the: (1) challenges exist in a certain spectrum, in which they can be either barriers or opportunities for mainstreaming; (2) barriers can be classified according to varying degrees of severity; (3) challenges themselves are inter-linked; and (4) barriers can be overcome and transcend into opportunities for mainstreaming CCA

Challenges in mainstreaming climate change adaptation into local land use planning: evidence from Albay, Philippines

The mainstreaming of climate change adaptation (CCA) is increasingly popular because it integrates both adaptation and sustainable development goals. Although research interest in mainstreaming CCA is growing, there is limited information on its practical application at the local level, particularly in relation to the barriers to the effective operationalization of the approach. Consequently, this paper examines the challenges in mainstreaming CCA into local land use plans in Albay, Philippines. Using a modified version of Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development framework, the conditions surrounding the challenges were identified and assessed. These challenges are characterized as the factors that depict the information, institutional, and resource capacities of systems; hence, they are the factors that affect the effective operationalization of mainstreaming CCA. These challenges were then converted into quantitative "mainstreaming indicators." Data were collected from a survey conducted among the key players in local land use planning and experts in mainstreaming CCA. A scorecard approach was applied to quantify the respondents’ answers. The results highlighted the "institutional issues" indicator as the primary barrier in operationalizing the approach, while "availability" and “access to information” were assessed as second-level barriers. Conversely, the "leadership" indicator was evaluated as an opportunity for local mainstreaming due to the existence of a climate change champion in Albay. This paper suggests that the: (1) challenges exist in a certain spectrum, in which they can be either barriers or opportunities for mainstreaming; (2) barriers can be classified according to varying degrees of severity; (3) challenges themselves are inter-linked; and (4) barriers can be overcome and transcend into opportunities for mainstreaming CCA

Methodology for examining the challenges in mainstreaming climate change adaptation

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to adaptation research by devising a systematic method for examining the challenges in mainstreaming climate change adaptation (CCA) into local land use planning. It argues that mainstreaming operationalization necessitates a methodology that focuses on the challenges in applying the approach and an analytical framework that can examine the mainstreaming process from an institutional perspective. Design/methodology/approach: This paper applied triangulation by data method (i.e. document review, interview, survey and key informant consultations) and incorporated the scorecard approach in developing the four-stage mixed methodology. It used a modified Institutional Analysis and Development framework as primary analytical guide and applied the case study methodology for structure and focus in relation to data collection activities. Findings: This paper devised the four-stage mixed methodology and successfully applied it in examining the challenges in mainstreaming CCA into local land use planning in Albay, Philippines. Using the methodology, this paper developed 20 quantitative "mainstreaming indicators" and generated qualitative analyses to assess the state of play of the challenges in local mainstreaming of CCA. Results suggest that mainstreaming challenges exist within a certain spectrum, with one end composed of barriers to, and the other, opportunities for CCA. Furthermore, the challenges occur at varying degrees of severity depending on the conditions that surround them. Research limitations/implications: This paper is limited to illustrating the process involved in developing the four-stage mixed methodology and presents only a brief discussion of the quantitative and qualitative results. Practical implications: Although the methodology is at its initial stages of development, it generated results that can help analysts, planners and decision-makers: determine the nature of the challenges in mainstreaming CCA, thereby understand the mainstreaming process; prioritize the mainstreaming challenges to address; and design strategies that will maximize the use of limited resources (i.e. utilizing the opportunities to overcome the existing barriers), among others. Originality/value: The four-stage mixed methodology was developed to aid analysts, planners and decision-makers determine the state-of-play of the challenges in mainstreaming CCA and make informed decisions in overcoming these challenges. Thus, the mixed method can be a useful tool in advancing the operationalization of the mainstreaming approach

Institutional capacity for long-term climate change adaptation: evidence from land use planning in Albay, Philippines

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation (CCA) into plans and programs is still a new approach in adaptation and thus there is limited information on how to operationalize it on-ground. This paper addresses this gap by investigating the challenges in mainstreaming CCA into the local land use plans in the province of Albay, Philippines. Specifically, this paper developed 20 quantitative "mainstreaming indicators" to assess the state-of-play and the challenges for local mainstreaming. These indicators were classified under three groupings, namely, the information, institutional, and resource capacities of systems. Qualitative analysis of the indicator scores suggested that developing the institutional capacities of local governments is crucial in the local mainstreaming process. Likewise, the results highlighted the "institutional issues" indicator as the primary barrier in operationalizing the approach. These institutional issues are: fragmented laws and regulations; overlapping policy requirements; and the lack of guidelines for mainstreaming CCA into the local land use plans. Meanwhile, the "leadership" indicator, as signified by a climate change champion in Albay, was evaluated as an opportunity for local mainstreaming. The champion effectively led the CCA efforts because the existing institutional mechanisms supported the champion's capacity to influence the behavior of people and produce collective action towards CCA

Institutional capacity for long-term climate change adaptation: evidence from land use planning in Albay, Philippines

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation (CCA) into plans and programs is still a new approach in adaptation and thus there is limited information on how to operationalize it on-ground. This paper addresses this gap by investigating the challenges in mainstreaming CCA into the local land use plans in the province of Albay, Philippines. Specifically, this paper developed 20 quantitative “mainstreaming indicators” to assess the state-of-play and the challenges for local mainstreaming. These indicators were classified under three groupings, namely, the information, institutional, and resource capacities of systems. Qualitative analysis of the indicator scores suggested that developing the institutional capacities of local governments is crucial in the local mainstreaming process. Likewise, the results highlighted the “institutional issues” indicator as the primary barrier in operationalizing the approach. These institutional issues are: fragmented laws and regulations; overlapping policy requirements; and the lack of guidelines for mainstreaming CCA into the local land use plans. Meanwhile, the “leadership” indicator, as signified by a climate change champion in Albay, was evaluated as an opportunity for local mainstreaming. The champion effectively led the CCA efforts because the existing institutional mechanisms supported the champion’s capacity to influence the behavior of people and produce collective action towards CCA